Possibly a Lonely Clarkii?

[Jisko]

Recently I had to go away for 10 days and was not able to maintain the tank or have anyone come and watch it. I ran auto feeders and filled the tank to the top before I left and when I came back I had a problem with the Condy. It wasn't doing good for about 2 weeks and it soon died and I removed it from the tank before any real damage was done as I was monitoring it a lot. However I now have a Clarkii which is very skittish and he has always been this way since I got him but now it just seems like if anyone goes to close to the tank he hides. I'm wondering if getting another Clarkii the same size or smaller would help with this problem. I added photos of him hiding in the little cave with the shrimp...

Tank Mates:
Clarkii
15 snails
Peppermint Shrimp
1 Blue legged hermit

Note: I do have a crazy Spirorbid problem haha

 

[Techie_]

Is he eating, breathing, and swimming okay? Your light may also be a problem if both seem to be hiding.

 

[Jisko]

Yeah he will swim around if i sit across the room but if anything happens in the room or if I open the lid on the tank he hides. Both come out and eat and everything but the shrimp almost never leaves the cave

 

[Techie_]

What kind of light are you running and how long has the tank been set up?

 

[Jisko]

for lighting i have Current USA Orbit Pro LED Light and the tank is about 7-8 months old now

starting at 8:30am the lights slowly turn on and transition into 67% intensity then at around 8:30pm sunset starts which goes for around an hour n half

 

[Tahoe61]

The rock is the Clarkii's territory. Clowns are not big adventures, they will stay close to an item (anemone, heater, coral...).

I would say yes to attempting to introduce another Clarkii, BUT it has to be a smaller younger fish. Just prior to introduction move the rocks around to displace territories. Introduce the new clown with lights off, watch for aggression.

Good Luck

 

[Jisko]

Would getting something else like a Goby be better? I'm asking because tracking down a Clarkii has been a true pain since I'm at college haha I drove hour n half to get this Clarkii and havent had a chance to get another one since then.

 

[Tahoe61]

Would you consider ordering one on line?
Is there a local reef club near you?
You can add another clown type and it will interact with the Clarkii. Issue is Clarkii's are famous for their aggression issues. The next clown needs to be a sexually immature clown.
A goby will probably not bring the clown out other then the clown defending it's territory.

 

[Jisko]

I found one at a pet store a hour n half away and the Clarkii is 1 inch

PROBLEM they wont hold the clarkii over night for me and if i get it today i cant bring it back untill tomorrow... Will the clarkii survive in a bag over night or how should i do this?

 

[Techie_]

I've held some 50 FW fish in a bucket over night (not my proudest hobbyist moment), you have to remember to aerate the water, just take a small cup every now and fill it up with bag water and dump it right back in to create some gas exchange. It's not ideal but if it's what you have to do....

 

[Tahoe61]

I would not chance it. A stressed clown may become symptomatic with Marine Ich and it's not the ideal way to acclimate a new fish, so no I would not.

 

[Jisko]

I do have heaters and stuff that i could bring to keep the water in the bag at a decent temp and It would be in the bag for less then 24 hours. Also I can get a large bag so it will have space to swim around.

 

[Jisko]

a little update I got lucky and the manager let me keep the Clarkii with them over night and I'll be getting it tomorrow morning then driving back to begin adding it to the tank

Ill post photos of the little guy once he is settled in the tank

 

[Jisko]

made a new thread here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/adding-a-second-clarkii.243829/